The Osceola times., 1887-11-12
WOMANS DEPARTMENT.
woMAN'S WORK AND WAGES.
An Interesting Discussion OF an Important
subJeot-women ssfrF from Lack Of

iect for discussion with social phlloeO-
pliers, would-be reformcrs and that
portion of the public that takes an
nmiablc interest in affairs with which
1t has nothing to do. The persons
most concerned working women
themselves and their employers-are
seldom heard from in regard TO the
matter.
Out of all that is said an occasional
word of wisdom may be Cleaned, but
a vast deal of nonsense is uttered
and many inconsequent conclusions
reached. A newspaper in Milwaukee,
for Instance, and one too, usually dis
tinguished for its good sense, lays
down the law that it is just and right
that man should receive more pay
than woman for the same work, be-
cause "men generally support families
while women do not, or when they do
the families are smaller than the av-
erage family supported by man."
This argument would be more i'm
pressi,e and convincing were il not for
the tact that men doing equal work are
pals. equal wages without regard TO
tbetr condition in life, whether they
are married or single or whether they
have others dependent upon them.
Very seldomis the slightest discrimina-
ton made between male workers on
this account; and when it is attempted
protest is swift to come, not only from
the unmarried laborcr, but from his
fellow-laborers who are heads of fami-
lies. 1t is felt to be unjust. and it is
promptly urged and insisted upon
that the pay is to be regulated by the
service performed and not by the. per-
sonal needs of the worker.
One point on which the students Of
social phenomena agree in accounting
for the low wages paid TO women IS
that women labor under the disadvan-
tages of traditional opinion which
assigns them to an inferior position in
the worlds economy. Owing to this,
il is argued that men find it difficult TO
acknowledge their work to be equal,
or doing 50, 10 admit that they de-
serve like compensation. Unqucs-
tionably this feeling does exist. Many,
even among those who pride them
selves upon their liberality of ofsentlment
are unconsciously affected by It, aud
preiudiced against the practical opera
ton of their beautiful theories OF the
! equality OF the sexes. A glaring proof
of the existence of this belief is seen in
the Government service at Washing
ton, whore hundreds Of women, work
Ing side by side with men or succeed
ing 20 desks formerly occupied by men,
and doing the same work, receive sal
aries only half as large The Govern
ment departments being. It IS com
monty supposed, under control of the
most enlightened men of the country,
what can be expected of private individ-
uals whose sclf-interest is in perpetua-
tion Of the prejudice?
There is however feature Of the
matter seldom touched on in disserta-
tions on the subject, which accounts in
part for the disadvantages under which
women labor, and removes n portion
of the blame from the shoulders OF men
where it is usually placed.
1t is but just to say that women are
themselves partially responsible for
the expressions to which they are sub
icct. Whether 1t is an indication of
inferiority, or the result of generations
Of masculine supremacy, it is true thas
qualities inherent in the naturot OF
women impedes their progress rs wage
earners Most women lack self asser-
tion, and are timid about pushing their
own claims TO prefcrmcnL They are
also submissive to the existing order
of things mot to the extent of accept
ing it as right but to degree which
makes it difficult for rcformers to
rouse them to active protest. Now,
it is the way of the business world that
thc man who succeeds financially who
gets the high salaries, whose services
are eagerly sought for, whose opinions
carry weight, is self-conGdont, self
assertiye and quick TO demand his
rights. The first two traits lead the
community IN general and his cm 10y
ers in particular to accept him NJ his
own valuation; compliance with his
claims, after that is a matter Of course.
1t is desirable that merit, however
modest, should be recognized and duly
appreciated; but, unfortunately, this
is not apt to he the case. 1t is only in
| Sunday-school books and apocryphal
tales related for the encouragement o.!
youth that the rich merchant, Of bis
own motion, rapidly advances his
worthy employees aud takes the most
talented into partnership without So
/ licilation. In real life the favored one
insists directly aud indirectly that he
is entitled to the promotion. and crc-
atcS the impression that he is the one
that renders the service by accept iug
/ the Advancement Women are not the
only ones who suffer from lack Of the
! quality known as push. The world
is full of men who have plodded on,
half recompenSed, through n lifetime
OF labor, while early companions with
far less ability have, by sheer force Of
sclf-suiliciency aud solf-assertion, gone
on to wealth and prosperity. -.
Women, however, are uniformly
timid, and, as class, are under a dis
advantage in the struggle for lycli-
/ hood. Whether il is better that they